Seven more local residents have died of COVID-19 as the virus continued to slam Florida’s Friendliest Hometown and The Villages Charter school.
All seven of the latest fatalities were residents of Marion County. They are among the 1,553 tri-county area deaths, the 30,878 in Florida and the 504,135 across the country.
Six more charter school students have tested posted this week for COVID-19, bring the total number at the school to 72 since classes started in August 2020. That number represents 43.4 percent of the 166 cases reported in all Sumter County public schools.
All told, Florida is reporting 1,885,661 cases – an increase of 7,128 from Tuesday to Wednesday. Of those, 1,851,151 are residents. A total of 80,827 COVID-19 cases have been reported in long-term care centers and 30,780 in correctional facilities. Across the state, there have been 30,878 deaths and 78,472 people have been hospitalized.
Locally, 121 new COVID-19 cases were reported Wednesday in and around The Villages for a total of 14,344. Those include:
- The Villages (Sumter, Lake and Marion counties) up 72 for a total of 4,088;
- Belleview up 13 for a total of 1,168;
- Lady Lake up 12 for a total of 1,440;
- Leesburg up 9 for a total of 3,768;
- Summerfield up 4 for a total of 1,720;
- Wildwood up 3 for a total of 930;
- Oxford up 3 for a total of 450;
- Lady Lake portion of Sumter County up 3 for a total of 121; and.
- Fruitland Park up 2 for a total of 659.
Below is a breakdown of other COVID-19 activity in the local area:
TRI-COUNTY AREA
- Cases: 59,437 – increase of 337
- Deaths: 1,553
- Hospitalizations: 3,477
SUMTER COUNTY
- Cases: 7,908 – increase of 98
- Deaths: 234
- Hospitalizations: 500
- Areas/cities with most cases: The Villages (3,741), Wildwood (930), Bushnell (849), Coleman (827) and Oxford (450).
LAKE COUNTY
- Cases: 24,228 – increase of 118
- Deaths: 541
- Hospitalizations: 1,261
- Cities with most cases: Clermont (6,342), Leesburg (3,768), Eustis (2,152), Mount Dora (1,836) and Tavares (1,779). The Villages also is reporting 168 cases.
MARION COUNTY
- Cases: 27,301 – increase of 121
- Deaths: 778
- Hospitalizations: 1,716
- Cities with most cases: Clermont (6,342), Leesburg (3,768), Eustis (2,152), Mount Dora (1,836) and Tavares (1,779). The Villages also is reporting 168 cases.